🙏 Sikh

Guru Nanak Gurpurab books for kids: what it is and how to celebrate

When is Guru Nanak Gurpurab? Tuesday 24 November 2026. It falls on the full moon of the month of Katak, so it moves each year; your gurdwara may follow a slightly different calendar.

What is Guru Nanak Gurpurab?

Guru Nanak Gurpurab celebrates the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469), the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. He taught that there is one God, that everyone is equal, and that people should work honestly, share with others and remember God.

Who celebrates Guru Nanak Gurpurab, and books for each

Sikh

Gurdwaras hold a 48-hour reading of the Guru Granth Sahib (Akhand Path), processions (nagar kirtan) with hymns, and langar, the free community meal served to everyone. Homes and gurdwaras are lit up.

📖 Free guide
The Birthday of Guru Nanak
Grace Jones
a simple introduction to the festival, with parades, prayer and food
Questions to ask → View on Amazon ↗
📖 Free guide
Guru Nanak the Magnificent
Baljinder Kaur
a picture-book poem about Guru Nanak's life
Questions to ask → View on Amazon ↗
📖 Free guide
Guru Nanak and the Bright Light
Shawn Singh Ghuman
a short story for young children
Questions to ask → View on Amazon ↗

Questions to ask while you read

Use these with any of the Guru Nanak Gurpurab books on this page. Pick two or three, and there are no wrong answers.

What is the family in the story getting ready for?
Which part of Guru Nanak Gurpurab would you most like to try, and why?
How do the people in the story show they care about each other?
Is anything in the story like something your family does?
What would you like to ask a friend who celebrates Guru Nanak Gurpurab?

Ways to celebrate Guru Nanak Gurpurab with children

Cook a simple meal and share it with someone, like langar.
Talk about Guru Nanak's idea that everyone is equal.
Visit a gurdwara: visitors of every faith are welcome (cover your head and remove shoes).
Light candles or lamps at home in the evening.

Guru Nanak Gurpurab picture books at a glance

All the Guru Nanak Gurpurab books on this page: The Birthday of Guru Nanak (Grace Jones), Guru Nanak the Magnificent (Baljinder Kaur), Guru Nanak and the Bright Light (Shawn Singh Ghuman).

Questions parents ask about Guru Nanak Gurpurab

What is langar?

A free vegetarian meal served in every gurdwara to anyone who comes, sitting together on the floor as equals. It began with Guru Nanak.

What does 'Gurpurab' mean?

A celebration of an anniversary connected with one of the Gurus, such as their birth.

Related festivals: Vaisakhi · Diwali

All festivals, by month and by faith →

Traditions vary between families, places and communities; ask your child's friends and their families how they celebrate. As an Amazon Associate, Growing Wise earns from qualifying purchases.